Fitness Raising The Bar

High-tech Gear Gives You An Edge, But Your Wallet Gets A Workout, Too.

January 29, 2006|By Chris Cobbs, Sentinel Staff Writer

No matter how hard she pedaled her old mountain bike, Deb Fischbach couldn't quite keep up with other women while training or racing.

Tired of life in the slow lane, she got just what she wanted for Christmas -- about $3,000 worth of new high-tech gear, including a bike made of ultralight material and a slew of matching accessories, like padded gloves, a comfy seat and handmade shoes.

"It's all about technology," said Fischbach, 47, of College Park, a former Jazzercise instructor who wanted the latest gear to help improve her fitness level so she could compete in triathlons.

But you don't have to be a competitive athlete like Fischbach to take advantage of a range of gear with a tech twist to deliver on a New Year's resolution to improve fitness or appearance.

Even casual weekend athletes hoping to shed a few pounds can find items with new technology -- like heart-rate monitors and waterproof portable music systems -- to make exercise more effective and enjoyable.

Sales of fitness gear were projected to surpass $5 billion last year by the National Sporting Goods Association of Mount Prospect, Ill. Another study found that about 33 percent of American homes were equipped with fitness gear.

As technology becomes more a part of everyday life, it's a natural that people turn to high-tech products for a fitness boost, local exercise experts say.

"It's a byproduct of changing times," said Carl Musante, manager at Orange Cycle in College Park, a store chock-full of bikes, shoes, gloves, helmets and other items with tech wrinkles. "People are just more attuned to embracing technology in their life."

Like bikers, runners also want the latest toys to help them get in shape, said John Baus, manager at Track Shack of Orlando.

"You can buy a heart monitor, which helps you maximize your workout program, for about $65," he said. "Walkers can get a pedometer to keep track of the distance they've covered, and people training for a marathon can get a device that fits on a shoe and gives feedback while they're running."

Along with improving fitness, technology has additional appeal, said Kim Boere, master trainer at RDV Sportsplex in Maitland.

"People just like gadgets," she said. "They want stuff that's easy and user-friendly."

At the National Training Center in Clermont, a wide range of people looking to be more fit are linked by using machines with the latest technology, including a new running shoe that simulates a barefoot feel and a stair-climbing device with a smooth motion, fitness coordinator Roseanne Breckels said.

For individuals like Fischbach who elect to buy their own gear, the choices are plentiful.

The centerpiece of Fischbach's training arsenal is a $2,200 bike built of carbon fiber, which helps it go a bit faster than slightly heavier competitive models.

The bike is tailored to a woman's body, with features such as narrower handlebars than those on a man's model and front shock absorbers, said Vivian Arenas, an Orlando dental hygienist who also runs a training business, Tri Training for Women, for women of all fitness levels.

Arenas believes in technology but doesn't see it as a substitute for motivation.

"She has a real passion for fitness," Fischbach said. "Being around her and other girls who are driven, you really feel fantastic. The energy level is so high, you feel like you climbed Mount Everest."

Still, experts agree, all the technology in the world won't help if a person lacks desire.